A weekend in JB...

"You have two choices, to control your mind or to let your mind control you..." - Paulo Coelho

(Alia, Arif and Aira with grandpa)

We spent the weekend with our kids and grandchildren in JB. Next week we will be away for almost a month for our year-end 4x4 trip to Thailand. We planned to visit the highlands of Thailands and the mosques along the route, InsyaAllah...

(Missing the grandkids)

(Movie time)

(Four Fingers, Arif favorite)

Restoran Hj Sharin Low Grand, Ipoh

“Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together...”

 – Guy Fieri

(Trying out the Chinese Muslim food in Ipoh)

Restoran Hj Sharin Low Grand is located at Persiaran Greenhill, Kampung Jawa, Ipoh.

It is an established Halal Chinese restaurant chain specializing in Southern Chinese Cuisine with over a dozen outlets throughout Malaysia. On the way back from Penang to KL we detoured to Ipoh and had lunch here. We ordered two nasi goreng and a few dishes to go with the nasi goreng and found out that each dish was quite a big portion.

We shared a plate of nasi goreng and a large bowl asam pedas, the rest of the dishes we tapau for sahur.

(The largest chain of Chinese Muslims eatery)

(The food ordered was too much for two persons)

(Two big plates of Nasi Goreng)

(Authentic Chinese Muslim Cuisine)

(All dishes were tasty and delicious)

Masjid Al-Arab, Penang - 1898

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously, that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case you fail by default...”

(Masjid Al-Arab,Penang)

GPS: 5.414704, 100.322588
05°24′52.93″N 100°19′21.32″E

Masjid Al-Arab Mosque Jalan Seang Tek is believed to have been built at the end of the 19th century. This is based on the Deed of Conveyance dated January 1898. The founding of the Arab Mosque began when a merchant named Sultansah bin Adamsah who lived in Lebuh Chulia donated a piece of land to build a mosque for the Muslim community living in Kampung Limow Manis, between Jalan Melaka and Jalan Seang Tek). 

(The frontal view of Masjid Al-Arab)

(A two-storey building)

(The signage of the mosque)

(Gated and locked)

The construction year of this mosque is not known clearly but it is believed that the mosque existed at the end of the 19th century because when the Deed of Conveyance 1898 was made, the construction process of the mosque had already started.

This mosque has also been a gathering place for people of Arab descent in Penang since the 1930s and this practice still remains today, especially on Hari Raya.

(Parking our car by the road side)

(The minaret attached to the building)

(The stairs leading to the main entrance)

(Advertisement for Tahfiz At-Tamimi)

Gani Famous Pasembur Stall...

“Food should not only satisfy hunger, it should feed the soul, nourish the body and delight the senses” – Karista Bennett

(Gani Famous Pasembur Stall)

Tonight we shared a plate of pasembur for dinner from Gani Famous Pasembur stall. The stall is  located in Medan Renong Food Court, Padang Kota Lama, Penang.

There are many types of pasembur filling that can be found at Gani Famous Pasembur, from dried tofu to shrimp and crab, and varieties of seafood balls. The specialty of this stall is the pasembur sauce which is red in color from a recipe handed down from generation to generation. The sauce on the pasembur mix is topped with cucumber and sengkuang with sprinkling of peanuts to add crunchiness to the mix. 

The stall is opened daily from 2:00 pm - 12:00 am.

(A double line queue)

(A variety to choose from)

(The special red sauce that made the difference)

(The promenade at night)

(One cruise ship is leaving the port)

(Another cruise ship just arrived and disembarked)

Masjid Jami’ Al-Munawar Kelawai, Penang - 1890

“Life doesn’t require that we be the best, only that we try our best...” - H. Jackson Brown Jr.

(Masjid Jami’ Al-)Munawar Kelawai

GPS: 5.430598, 100.316393
05°25′50.15″N 100°18′59.01″E

Masjid Jamek Al-Munawar Kelawai was built around 1890 due to the increasing number of worshippers in the Kelawai area. The mosque is a concrete building and has the same design as the Old Jamek Mosque in Lorong Burmah. 

(The mosque signage)

(Parking at an abandoned house)

(The view from the parking lot)

(The mosque minaret)

The word Kelawai is taken from two Malay words, namely 'Kuala' and 'Awal'. Later the pronunciation becomes 'Kualawai' and slowly turns into 'Kelawai'. This area used to be known as a fisherman's residence because it is not far from the beach. Several disused fishing boats are still on display on the beach at Burnet Drove. This mosque has been renovated several times, the last one in 2012 which made it even bigger, beautiful and comfortable.

(The main prayer hall)

(The mihrab area)

(Ablution kolah)

Another story states that Jalan Kelawei is named after the Malay settlement that once existed on the road and that the term 'Kelawai' actually refers to the root of Myxopyrum nervosum, also known as 'pokok kelawai' in Malay. The Malay fishing village, on the other hand, was called 'Tanjong Kelawai', which gradually developed into the current street name, Jalan Kelawei.

(Narrow compound of the mosque)

(Reminder for obligatory zakat)

Masjid Al-Hidayah Bayan Lepas, Penang

“You will meet two kinds of people in life: ones who build you up and ones who tear you down. But in the end, you’ll thank them both.”

(Masjid Al-Hidayah Bayan Lepas)

GPS: 5.29614, 100.25947
05°17′46.1″N 100°15′34.09″E

Masjid Al-Hidayah is also known as Masjid Bayan Lepas.

Not much is known on the history of the mosque. It is an old mosque but the facilities are quite modern. The main prayer hall is air conditioned. There is a prayer area on the upper level to cater for the crowd on Fridays.

There is ample parking space across the mosque.

(The mosque signage)

(The mosque is located by the road side)

(The posterior view)

(The minaret)

(A door leading to the upper prayer area)

(The main prayer hall)

(Asmaul-Husna on the wall)

(Majlis Khatan Perdana)

Masjid Kampung Seronok, Penang - 1909

“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living...” - Gail Sheehy

(Masjid Kampung Seronok, Penang)

GPS: 5.29002, 100.25616
05°17′24.07″N 100°15′22.18″E

Masjid Kampung Seronok is located in Bayan Lepas, 15 km from Balik Pulau.

It is a village mosque for Kampung Seronok and one of the bigger mosques in the Bayan Lepas area. It is located in Kampung Seronok, which was established in 1940 when a British engineer D.W. Grehan is said to have suggested that name, which means ‘Village of Enjoyment’. He was attracted to the village atmosphere and paid several visits, especially after the Japanese surrender.

(An elegant beautiful mosque)

(Gazeboes and resting area)

(The gate was locked, viewed from outside the fence)

(The mosque looked newly renovated and painted)

The Kampung Seronok Mosque may be even older than the village itself, as it is believed to be over seventy years old. Kampung Seronok has promoted itself as a model Malay village, and put in place several cultural activities such as top spinning and batik printing to attract visitors. The village also has a traditional Malay house on stilts that has been restored and preserved.

(Roman pillars decorating the verandah) 

(Intricate carvings of the roof)

(The decorative roof and the minaret)